The Mechanical Handling and Storing of Material

178 THE MECHANICAL HANDLING OF MATERIAL machine are dipped in water, while in the machine for iron they are to be kept dry. A secondary machine of circular shape is used for the cooling process. The pigs, when cool, are discharged from the circular conveyor, and ascend The moulds in the slag the elevator into rail- way wagons, as shown in the illustration. The moulds at- tached to the chain are very similar to those previously described. On each one is cast a lip to prevent the flow- ing iron from falling between them as they pass in succession to the mouth of the tilt- ing ladle. Mr Hawdon has weight to be carried. 73m Fig. 236. Delivery Point of “ Ramsay ” Casting Machine. Figs. 238 and 239. Moulds of Hawdon’s Slag Casting Machine. specially provided for the heavy He has not attached the rollers to the moulds themselves, but has fixed them to the frame- work, allowing the chain to run over the rollers, the bearings being of brass, and at such a distance from the hot moulds as to allow of the free use of lubricant. The supporting rollers are placed at frequent intervals, thus preventing any undue wear on the chains. I his applies as much to the circular conveyor, on which the pigs are cooled in a tank of water, as to that in a straight line in which they are cast. It is important to notice that all the bearings in the circular conveyor are above water, and are therefore easily acces- sible. With regard to the removal of the pigs from the circular con- veyor to the wagons, it may be noted that, as they move round under water with the conveyor, they come in contact with a fixed plate or plough which pushes them off and into the elevator which delivers side. Fig. 242 represents this elevator as used for loading them on the wagons placed along- the pigs from the cooling conveyor. Figs. 243 and 244 give some of the details of the conveyor itself.