THE ART OF CASTING BRONZE IN JAPAN. 



633 



during recent years several have been erected from my designs in Gov 

 erument and other establishments, chiefly, however, for the production 

 of ordnance and castings for industrial purposes. 



When small castings only are required the bronze is generally melted 

 in crucibles, but for those of larger dimensions a cupola furnace, or 

 more than one, is always employed, 



A typical cupola furnace, which is that winch was actually used in 



Fig. 3. 



TYPICAL C0POLA FURNACE F014 MELTING BRONZE. 



A, lower segment of the furnace; B, iron pan inclo-sing the furnace; C, D, E, upper segments; F, 

 twyer; G. tap-hole, H, pipe leading the blast from the blowing machine; I, charging. 



the casting operations to be described subsequently, is represented in 

 fig. 3. 



It is very ingeniously constructed of cylindrical segments. The 

 lowest, which forms the hearth, consists of a cast-iron pan lined with 

 fire clay and a coating of brasque, composed of clay and charcoal. It 

 is furnished with an aperture, G, in front, for tapping out the metal, 

 and another at the back for the insertion of the twyer, through which 



