In the present section, dealing with the moulder's work in the brass foundry, in order to entirely separate and distinguish it from that in the iron foundry, the illustrations are of the patterns used and not their imprint in the sand. They fairly represent both the pattern-shop and brass foundry practice, and in themselves are sufficiently clear to require but brief explanation. All core prints and bearings are indicated by an irregular diagonal shading, whereas the regular shading represents that portion of the pattern or core-box to be metallic. The range for plate work is even more infinite than in the iron foundry. All descriptions of brass nuts, such as required in the smoke-box, lead and mud plugs, are of this class of work, illustrated by Figs, 109 and 110, by 1 inch nuts, the sizes ranging to 2« inches; each plate having from two or three to thirty articles upon it, according to the dimensions of the pattern. They are placed in such a position that the main body of the casting is in the top box, whereas the slide bar oil syphons and cylinder cocks are arranged as indicated by Figs. 111 to 114 In each of these cases the plate is placed upon a turnover board, sprinkled with parting sand, rammed up, turned over, and the operation repeated, with due regard to venting.

The runner or leader is formed by ramming in a suitable piece of wood which, after streaking over with a moist rag, 13 drawn. In Figs. 109-114 the gates are at once discerned, and should the furnace be working slowly, and consequently cold metal expected, they are made larger by suitable means, apparent to the reader, thereby giving the castings a better feed. Figs. 115, 116, and 117 are the patterns for the water gauge cock, and although they are shown as made of wood, they are one of those articles that can be placed upon a plate and cast with the core print A in the bottom box. Fig. 118 shows the pattern of Ramsbottom's regulator valve, forming its own cores. For this pattern three boxes are necessary, the middle box receiving the upper portion of the pattern, minus the wings A, which is placed upon a turnover board, rammed, turned, and the bottom joint adjusted, then the bottom flange B is rammed, the whole turned, and the wing piece A pushed in and the top box rammed. When each box is removed, it will be clearly seen that the wing piece has made an impression in the top box, the body in the middle, and the bottom flange, or seating, in the bottom. It is cast by means of an inch gate on the top and bottom flanges. An alternative plan is to have a pattern lagged up, with suitable core prints and joint parallel with its axis. This would necessitate a separate core-box; but for many reasons the former is the better example, chiefly from the fact that it makes its own core, which consequently cannot be misplaced and otherwise distorted when being fixed by an indifferent moulder.

Figs. 109 to 110.

Figs. 111 & 112.

Fig. 113.

Fig. 114.

Fig. 115.

Fig. 116.

Fig. 117.

Fig. 118.

Fig. 119.

Fig. 120.

The pattern for the seating of this valve is shown in Fig. 119, and its core-boxes are shown in Figs. 120-123. The pattern is moulded in a suitable box placed on a turnover board suitably adapted, A, the joint being made when turned over, as indicated by Fig. 119. Fig. 120 is an elevation of the body core on its joint, with Figs. 122 and 123 shown in position in dotted lines, which forms one of the seatings and the guide for the valve. Fig. 118, A, Fig. 123, being a strengthening piece through which one of the holding-down holts passes. Fig. 121 is a plan of the body core-box, with Figs. 122 and 123 removed. One chaplet is used under the unsupported end of the core, as indicated by B, Fig. 120. It lies sideways, and its sprig rests upon a plate which has been rammed up in the bottom box. The casting is run at the flange C by means of a rectangular gate, 1« inch by 1¬ inch. Two views of the pattern for the regulator rod stuffing-box are given in Figs. 124 and 125, the joint being made along the flange, as indicated by the sketch, Fig. 125a. To facilitate the moulding of this pattern, as in several other cases, an "odd side" is used; that is, after one mould has been run, instead of knocking both boxes out, one is retained as a kind of print, to receive one portion of the pattern, until the opposite portion has been rammed up; or, in some cases, an odd side is specially made. The gate is attached to the flange. The gland and brass sleeve for this rod are shown in Figs. 126-128, all glands being cast down, and when they form their own lightening cores, these are hardened by skin drying.

Fig. 121.

Fig. 122.

Fig. 123.

Fig. 124.

Fig. 125.

Fig. 125a.

All sleeves, Fig. 128, and the bush for the blank gland in the steam chest front cover, Fig. 145, are moulded for a straight draw if only one core print, or if two core prints they are moulded horizontally. Fig. 129 is the cone for the joint of internal steam pipe. It is cast with a l« inch runner on to the edge at A, all the core being left in the bottom box and the joint, as shown in Fig. 129. An odd side is also used to expedite the moulding of this pattern, and it is fairly vented in the top box. Figs. 130-135 are various flanges for the steam pipes. They are all cast in the bottom box, with 2-inch runners on to their edges, and make their own cores. Figs. 136 and 137 is the piston-rod gland, and Fig. 138 its core-box for the oil syphon, A being the core prints. The gland for the valve-rod is shown in Figs. 139 and 140, and its core-box in Figs. 141 and 142. These patterns form their own lightening cores by being hollowed out, and rammed with sand, their method of moulding having already been indicated under the heading of regulator gland. Their bushes are given in Figs. 143 and 144, the joints being as shown.