Foundation-plate
The bottom or base plate which carries the whole mould, and to which all other parts of the mould are made secure; for which reason it is important to make them of sufficient strength for the purpose. For loam-work they should be made to correspond with the outer boundary of brickwork surrounding the casting, and all connections, as lugs, staples, bolt-holes, etc., must necessarily stand beyond that limit. See LOAM-WORK; PLATE. Founding is the art of forming in loam, or sand, a mould of any given design, which is subsequently filled with molten metal and allowed to solidify, the resultant casting being a copy in metal of the design or model furnished. The place where these operations are performed is called a foundry. See FOUNDRY.