US1282623A - Method of and apparatus for casting charges for projectiles. - Google Patents

Description

P. G. PARIS.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CASTING CHARGES FOR PROJECTILES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2. 19:5.

1,282,623. Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

Mar/war PERCY G. PARIS, OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO BETHLEHEM STEEL COMPANY, OF SOUTH BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CASTING CHARGES FOR PROJEC'IILES.

Application filed January 2, 1915.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, PERCY Gr. PARIS, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of Bethlehem, Northampton county,

State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Casting Charges for Projectiles, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to the method and apparatus for casting explosive charges for projectiles.

In the apparatus heretofore employed for this purpose, trouble has been experienced on account of air bubbles remaining in the charges and thus seriously affecting the quality of the product. It is the object of the present invention to overcome this disadvantage and to provide a method and apparatus which may be conveniently employed and which produces the minimum amount of waste, by eliminating the use of pouring devices. It is also the object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus which will produce a dense charge that will not be subject to the usual defects arising from shrinkage, in the methods heretofore employed.

The novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which is a vertical section of an apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, 10 indicates the body of a mold in which the charge is formed. The body 10 has a removable bottom 11 which is secured by bolts 12 or any other suitable fastening devices. The upper end of the body 10 is provided with a flange 13 and has secured thereon a riser 14 pro vided with a jacket 15 through which a heating medium may be circulated, connections 16. and 17 being provided for this purpose. The jacket 15 has a flange 18 which is socuredto the flange 13 by bolts 19 or other suitable means. The upper end of the riser 14 is provided with a cap 20 in which a pipe 21 is secured, this pipe communicating with the interior of the riser 14. A threeway valve 22, having an operating handle 23, is connected with the pipe 21 and also with a suction pipe 24. The pipe 24 leads to any suitable form of exhauster (not Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

Serial No. 310.

shown) for the purpose of exhausting the air from the mold 10 and the riser 14. The branch of the valve 22 communicates with the external atmosphe e so that the interior of the riser 14 may be placed in communication with the external atmosphere when desired.

A pipe 26 extends through the jacket 15 and is secured to the riser 14 adjacent the lower end thereof. This pipe extends into a reservoir 27 to a point near the bottom thereof, and has a valve 28,'controlled by a handle 29, by means of which the flow of the charge-forming material through the pipe 26 may be controlled. The reservoir 27 is provided with a jacket 30 through which a heating medium may be circulated, inlet and outlet pipes 31 being provided for this purpose. It will be observed that, in the arrangement illustrated, the pipe 26 extends over the upper edge of the reservoir 2-? and, in order to prevent the fluid in this pipe from solidifying, a suitable jacket or steam coil 32 is arranged on the exposed portion of the pipe.

In the operation of the apparatus a suitable supply of molten charge-forming material is maintained in the re ervoir 27 and when itis desired to cast a charge the valve 28 is closed and the valve 22 is turned so as to establish communication between the pipe 24 and the interior of the riser 14 and thus exhaust the air from the interior of the riser and the body 10. When the air is exhausted from the mold, valve 22 is closed so as to cut off pipe 24, the valve 28 is .opened and the charge-forming material is allowed to siphon over into the mold so as to fill the body 10 and also the riser. When the riser 14 is approximately full valve 28 is closed and the charge-forming material allowed to remain there during solidification. It will be understood that the riser 14 is heated by steam or other heating medium in the jacket 15 when the apparatus is in use so that the material in the riser will be maintained in a fluid condition while the material in the body 10 is solidifying, and as the solidification in the body 10 proceeds, any tendency of the charge to shrink ,Will be overcome by material from the riser and in this way the charge, when completely solidified, will fill the mold 10. If

being scraped therefrom.

desired a suitableprotecting casing ofwpape'r or other material may be placed in the mold 10 before the charge is cast.

After the charge has solidified the valve 28 is opened and the valve 22' turned so as to admit air to the riser 1a. In this Way the material in the riser Will be drained back through the pipe 26 into the reservoir 27. The body 10 of the mold may then be detached from the jacket 15 of the riser and the charge extracted from the mold by removing the bottom 11 of the mold. The charge Will have a solid or semi-solid projection on the upper end thereof and When this is removed the charge is in the completed form. The body 10 is then attached to the jacket 15 and the bottom 11 placed in positionand the operationof casting repeated. It will be understood that several different mo'lds'may be arranged about the reservoir 27 and the operation of casting the charges may proceed in ,all of the molds simultaneously. It will also be evident that the elimination of pouring devices avoids the usual loss due to the material solidifying on these devices and necessitating its The maintenance of the riser in a fluid state not only insures against shrinkage of'the casting but also permits the material in the riser to be readily drained back into'the supply reservoir 27. The exhaustion'of the air from the mold before the casting operation insures that there will be no air bubbles in the charge or on the surface thereof.

Having thus described the invention What is claimed is 1. The method of making charges Which consists in exhausting the air from a hermetically sealed mold, having a riser thereon, siphoning the chargeforming material "from a molten supplv thereof into the mold and riser, maintaining the' naterial in the riser in a molten state while the charge is solidifying and thereafter expelling the molten material from the riser to the supply. I

2. The'method ofmaking' charges Which consists in exhausting the air from a her- 'meticallysealed mold, having a riser thereon, siphoning the charge-forming material from a molten supply thereof into the mold and riser, and maintaining'the material in the riser in a molten state While the charge solidifying, and admitting air to the mold and draining ofi the material in the riser While it is in a fluid state.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a hermetically sealed mold having a riser, a suction pipe conneected With said riser for the purpose of exhausting air from the mold, means for maintaining a supply of molten charge- ,forming materiahmeans for conveying said material'from'said supply-tame mold at a point adjacent the bottom of .the riser,

Without admitting air to the mold, a valve the combination of a hermetically sealed .mold having a riser, a suction pipe connected With said riser for the purpose of exhausting air from the mold, means for maintaining a supply of molten charge-forming material, heated means for conveying said material from said supply to the mold at'a point adjacent the bottom of theriser, Without admitting air to the mold, a valve in the last mentioned means, means Whereby the riser may be heated to maintain the material therein in a fluid condition, means for admitting air to the riser, and means whereby the mold may be opened to permit removal of the charge.

'5. In apparatusof' the class described, the combination of a mold having a riser thereon, a supply reservoir arranged to be heated for the purpose of rendering the charge-forming material fluid, a pipe leading from the lower part of said reservoir to said mold adjacent the bottom of said riser, a suction pipe connected With said riser, and means permitting a separation of the mold at the bottom of the riser.

6. In apparatus of the class described, the combination-of a mold comprising an upright body portion, a removable bottom on the body portion and a jacketed riser secured to the upper end of the body por- "tion,- a reservoir arranged to be heated for the purpose of rendering the charge-forming material fluid, an externally heated'pipe for the purpose of conducting the chargeforming material from the lower part of said reservoir to said riser adjacent the lower endthereof, a valve in said pipe, and a suction pipe, connected With the upper end of said riser.

7 In ail-apparatus of the class described, the combination of a mold comprising an upright body portion,fa removable bottom wvithin said reservoir, a suction pipe connected With the upper end of said riser, and means whereby communication may be established between the interior ofthe riser and the external atmosphere.

'8. 'Inana'pparatus of the class described,

the combination of a mold comprising a body portion, a removable bottom for said body portion, a jacketed riser to which said body portion is detachably secured, a reser voir provided with means whereby the chargeforming material therein may be heated, a heated conduit for conveying the charge-forming material from the said reservoir to the mold, a suction pipe and a three-way valve connected with said pipe and said riser and adapted to establish communication between the riser and the suc- 10 tion pipe or the riser and the external atinosphere.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PERCY Gr. PARIS. Witnesses:

F. E. SIEGFELDT, E. M. ZIMMERMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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