Molten metal pressure pour furnace and metering vavle
First Claim
1. A pressure pour furnace for discharge of a dose of a molten metal, the pressure pour furnace comprising:
- a receiving chamber for receiving the molten metal from a source of the molten metal;
a heating chamber having an at least partially open inlet connected to the receiving chamber, the heating chamber having a means for heating the molten metal to a suitable temperature;
a pressure chamber having an at least one sealing port to control a flow of the molten metal from the heating chamber to the pressure chamber;
a sealing means for insertion into, or removal from, each of the at least one sealing port to prevent the flow of the molten metal through the sealing port, or to allow the flow of the molten metal through the sealing port;
a dosing tube protruding through a dosing tube opening in a wall of the pressure chamber;
a means for providing a pressurized seal around the dosing tube opening;
a means for injecting a gas into the pressure chamber to force the molten metal in the pressure chamber out of the pressure chamber through the dosing tube; and
a means for venting the pressure chamber to atmospheric pressure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and process are provided for discharging a dose of a molten metal from a pressure pour furnace. A heating chamber of the furnace is used to keep the molten metal at a selected temperature. A sealing port between the heating chamber and a pressure chamber allows selectively filling of the pressure chamber with molten metal from the heating chamber by inserting or removing a sealing means from the sealing port. The sealing means inserted in the sealing port also provides a means for preventing back flow of the molten metal to the heating chamber when the pressure chamber is pressurized. Differential pressure sensing of the pressure of the molten metal in the pressure chamber and the pressure of the pressurizing gas in the pressure chamber can optionally be used to achieve an accurate measured discharge from the pressure chamber as the level of molten metal decreases from repeated discharges of doses from the furnace. The sealing plate in which the sealing port is disposed and the sealing means selectively inserted or removed from the sealing port can be used as a metering valve between two molten metal containing components such as a launder and a pressure chamber of a pressure pour furnace.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A pressure pour furnace for discharge of a dose of a molten metal, the pressure pour furnace comprising:
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a receiving chamber for receiving the molten metal from a source of the molten metal;
a heating chamber having an at least partially open inlet connected to the receiving chamber, the heating chamber having a means for heating the molten metal to a suitable temperature;
a pressure chamber having an at least one sealing port to control a flow of the molten metal from the heating chamber to the pressure chamber;
a sealing means for insertion into, or removal from, each of the at least one sealing port to prevent the flow of the molten metal through the sealing port, or to allow the flow of the molten metal through the sealing port;
a dosing tube protruding through a dosing tube opening in a wall of the pressure chamber;
a means for providing a pressurized seal around the dosing tube opening;
a means for injecting a gas into the pressure chamber to force the molten metal in the pressure chamber out of the pressure chamber through the dosing tube; and
a means for venting the pressure chamber to atmospheric pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of discharging a dose of a molten metal from a pressure pour furnace, the method comprising the steps of:
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venting a pressure chamber of the furnace to atmospheric pressure;
opening an at least one sealing port disposed in a wall between the pressure chamber and a heating chamber of the furnace by removing a sealing element from the at least one sealing port to allow the flow of the molten metal from the heating chamber through the sealing port to the pressure chamber;
closing the at least one sealing port by inserting a sealing element into the at least one sealing port to prevent the flow of the molten metal from the heating chamber through the at least one sealing port to the pressure chamber;
substantially sealing the pressure chamber from atmospheric pressure; and
injecting a gas into the volume above the surface of the molten metal in the pressure chamber to force an at least one dose of the molten metal out of a dosing tubing having one end protruding into the melt and an opposing end protruding through a dosing tube opening in a wall of the pressure chamber. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for providing doses of a molten metal, the system comprising:
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an at least one metal melting furnace for the production of the molten metal by heating a metal charge;
an at least one molten metal pressure pour furnace comprising;
a receiving chamber for receiving the molten metal from a source of the molten metal;
a heating chamber having an at least partially open inlet connected to the receiving chamber, the heating chamber having a means for heating the molten metal to a suitable temperature;
a pressure chamber having an at least one sealing port to control a flow of the molten metal from the heating chamber to the pressure chamber;
a sealing means for insertion into, or removal from, each of the at least one sealing port to prevent the flow of the molten metal through the sealing port, or to allow the flow of the molten metal through the sealing port;
a dosing tube protruding through a dosing tube opening in a wall of the pressure chamber;
a means for providing a pressurized seal around the dosing tube opening;
a means for injecting a gas into the pressure chamber to force the molten metal in the pressure chamber out of the pressure chamber through the dosing tube; and
a means for venting the pressure chamber to atmospheric pressure; and
a launder for transferring the molten metal from the at least one metal melting furnace to the receiving chamber of the at least one molten metal pressure pour furnace. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of providing doses of a molten metal, the method comprising the steps of:
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producing the molten metal by heating a metal charge in an at least one metal melting furnace;
supplying the molten metal to an at least one molten metal pressure pour furnace by a launder;
venting a pressure chamber of the at least one molten metal pressure pour furnace to atmospheric pressure;
opening an at least one sealing port disposed in a wall between the pressure chamber and a heating chamber of the at least one molten metal pressure pour furnace by removing a sealing element from the at least one sealing port to allow the flow of the molten metal from the heating chamber through the sealing port to the pressure chamber;
closing the at least one sealing port by inserting a sealing element into the at least one sealing port to prevent the flow of the molten metal from the heating chamber through the at least one sealing port to the pressure chamber;
substantially sealing the pressure chamber from atmospheric pressure; and
injecting a gas into the volume above the surface of the molten metal in the pressure chamber to force an at least one dose of the molten metal out of a dosing tubing having one end protruding into the melt and an opposing end protruding through a dosing tube opening in a wall of the pressure chamber. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. A metering valve for controlling a flow of a molten metal between a first molten metal containing component and a second molten metal containing component, the metering valve comprising:
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a sealing plate substantially forming the boundary wall between the first molten metal containing component and the second molten metal containing component to block the flow of the molten metal between the first and the second molten metal containing components;
a sealing port disposed in the sealing plate to allow the flow of the molten metal between the first and the second molten metal containing components through the sealing port; and
a sealing means comprising a sealing element at a first end of a sealing tube, the sealing means inserted in the sealing port to prevent the flow of the molten metal between the first and the second molten metal containing components. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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36. A method of controlling a flow of a molten metal between a first molten metal containing component and a second molten metal containing component, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a sealing plate between the first molten metal containing component and the second molten metal component to block the flow of the molten metal between the first and the second molten metal containing components;
providing a sealing port in the sealing plate to allow the flow of the molten metal between the first and the second molten metal containing components; and
selectively sealing the sealing port with a sealing means at a first end of a sealing tube to prevent the flow of the molten metal between the first and the second molten metal containing components. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. A metering valve for controlling a flow of a molten metal from a supply of a molten metal to a pressure chamber of a molten metal pressure pour furnace, the metering valve comprising:
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a sealing plate substantially forming the boundary wall between the supply of the molten metal and the pressure chamber to block the flow of the molten metal from the supply of the molten metal to the pressure chamber;
a sealing port disposed in the sealing plate to allow the flow of the molten metal from the supply of the molten metal to the pressure chamber through the sealing port, the sealing port connected to the interior of the pressure chamber; and
a sealing means comprising a sealing element at a first end of a sealing tube, the sealing means inserted in the sealing port to prevent flow of the molten metal from the supply of the molten metal to the pressure chamber. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A method of controlling a flow of a molten metal from a supply of a molten metal to a pressure chamber of a molten metal pressure pour furnace, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a sealing plate between the supply of the molten metal and the pressure chamber;
providing a sealing port in the sealing plate, the outlet sealing port connected to the interior of the pressure chamber to allow the flow of the molten metal from the supply of the molten metal to the pressure chamber; and
selectively sealing the sealing port with a sealing means at a first end of a sealing tube to prevent the flow of the molten metal from the supply of the molten metal to the pressure chamber. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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42. A metering valve for controlling a flow of a molten metal from a supply of molten metal to the pressure chamber of a molten metal pressure pour furnace, the metering valve comprising:
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a double metering valve chamber;
an inlet sealing port disposed in a wall of the double metering valve chamber to allow the flow of the molten metal from the supply of the molten metal into the double metering valve chamber;
an inlet sealing means comprising an inlet sealing element at a first end of an inlet sealing tube, the inlet sealing means inserted in the inlet sealing port to prevent the flow of the molten metal from the supply of molten metal into the double metering valve chamber;
an outlet sealing port disposed in the wall of the double metering valve chamber to allow the flow of the molten metal from the double metering valve chamber into the pressure chamber, the outlet sealing port connected to the interior of the pressure chamber; and
an outlet sealing means comprising an outlet sealing element at a first end of an outlet sealing tube, the outlet sealing means inserted in the outlet sealing port to prevent flow of the molten metal from the double metering valve chamber to the pressure chamber. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44)
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45. A method of controlling a flow of a molten metal from a supply of molten metal to the pressure chamber of a molten metal pressure pour furnace, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a double metering valve chamber;
providing an inlet sealing port in a wall of the double metering valve chamber to allow the flow of the molten metal from the supply of molten metal into the double metering valve chamber;
selectively sealing the inlet sealing port with an inlet sealing means comprising an inlet sealing element at a first end of an inlet sealing tube to prevent the flow of the molten metal from the supply of molten metal into the double metering valve chamber;
providing an outlet sealing port in the wall of the double metering valve chamber, the outlet sealing port connected to the interior of the pressure chamber to allow the flow of the molten metal from the double metering valve chamber into the pressure chamber; and
selectively sealing the outlet sealing port with an outlet sealing means comprising an outlet sealing element at a first end of an outlet sealing tube to prevent flow of the molten metal from the double metering valve chamber to the pressure chamber. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
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Specification