ROTOR AND ROTOR SHAFT FOR MOLTEN METAL

• US 20160053762A1
• Filed: 07/02/2015
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molten Metal Equipment Innovations Incorporated (Molten)
• Original Assignee: Molten Metal Equipment Innovations Incorporated (Molten)
• Inventors: Cooper, Paul V.
• Granted Patent: US 10,138,892 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C22B 7/003 only remelting, e.g. of chips, borings, turnings; apparatus used therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C22B 9/00 General processes of refining or remelting of metals; Apparatus for electroslag or arc remelting of metals
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/20 Mounting rotors on shafts
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 7/065 for liquid metal
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 3/02 Shafts; Axles
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/02 for connecting two abutting shafts or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/10 Quick-acting couplings in which the parts are connected by simply bringing them together axially
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2001/102 the torque is transmitted via polygon shaped connections
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 17/002 Details of the installations, e.g. fume conduits or seals
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 2099/0083 Drives; Auxiliary drives
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 27/005 Pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 3/14 Charging or discharging liquid or molten material
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 3/16 Introducing a fluid jet or current into the charge porous elements for gas flushing of molten metals B22D1/005
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/20 Recycling

Abstract

A molten metal rotor receives and retains an end of a molten metal rotor shaft. The rotor shaft has one or more projections at the end received in the rotor. The rotor has an inner cavity, a top surface with an opening leading to the inner cavity, and at least one abutment. The opening includes one or more portions for allowing each projection to pass through the opening and into the inner cavity. The rotor and/or shaft are then rotated so at least one of the outwardly-extending projections is under the top surface of the rotor and is against an abutment. A molten metal pump, rotary degasser scrap melter or other device used in molten metal may utilize a rotor/shaft combination as disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A rotor having a cavity for receiving an end of a rotor shaft, the rotor cavity having a top surface with an opening through which the end of the rotor shaft passes and is received in the cavity, the opening leading to the cavity and having at least one elongated section, and the cavity including at least one abutment in the cavity.

2. The rotor of claim 1 wherein the opening includes a plurality of elongated sections in the opening.

3. The rotor of claim 1 that has three elongated sections.

4. The rotor of claim 1 wherein the cavity has a diameter and the opening has a width, the width of the opening being less than the diameter of the cavity.

5. The rotor of claim 1 wherein the opening has a first width that does not include the elongated section and a second width that includes the elongated section, the first width being less than the second width.

6. The rotor of claim 5 wherein the cavity has a diameter and the first width and second width are each less than the diameter.

7. The rotor of claim 1 wherein the top surface comprises ceramic.

8. The rotor of claim 1 that comprises one or more of the group comprising ceramic and graphite.

9. A rotor shaft having a first end that is received in a coupling and a second end for connecting to a rotor, the second end having at least one outward-extending projection that is received and retained in a rotor cavity in order to connect the second end to the rotor.

10. The rotor shaft of claim 9 that is comprised of one or more of the group consisting of:

graphite and ceramic.

11. The rotor shaft of claim 9 wherein the second end has a plurality of outward-extending projections.

12. The rotor shaft of claim 11 wherein the plurality of projections are spaced equidistant from one another.

13. The rotor shaft of claim 11 that has three projections.

14. The rotor shaft of claim 9 wherein the rotor shaft has an annular outer surface and the at least one outward-extending projection extends outward at least ½

″

from the annular.

15. The rotor shaft of claim 11 wherein the shaft has an annular outer surface and each of the plurality of outward-extending projections extends outward at least ½

″

from the main body.

16. The rotor shaft of claim 9 wherein the at least one outwardly-extending projection comprises ceramic.

17. The rotor shaft of claim 11 wherein each of the plurality of outwardly-extending projections comprises ceramic.

18. A rotor/shaft combination comprising:

(a) a rotor shaft having a first end that is received in a coupling and a second end for connecting to a rotor, the second end having at least one outward-extending projection that is received and retained in a rotor cavity in order to connect the second end to the rotor; and

(b) a rotor having a cavity for receiving the second end of the rotor shaft, the rotor cavity having a top surface with an opening through which the second end of the rotor shaft passes to be received in the cavity, the opening leading to the cavity and having at least one elongated section through which the outward-extending projection passes, and the cavity including at least one abutment against which the at least one outwardly extending projection is positioned when the rotor and rotor shaft are rotated relative one another.

19. A molten metal pump comprising:

(a) a motor;

(b) a motor shaft extending from the motor and having an end;

(c) a coupling that couples to the end of the motor shaft;

(d) a rotor shaft having a first end that is received in a coupling and a second end for connecting to a rotor, the second end having at least one outward-extending projection that is received and retained in a rotor cavity in order to connect the second end to the rotor; and

(e) the rotor having the cavity for receiving the second end of the rotor shaft, the rotor cavity having a top surface with an opening through which the second end of the rotor shaft passes to be received in the cavity, the opening leading to the cavity and having at least one elongated section through which the outward-extending projection passes, and the cavity including at least one abutment against which the at least one outward-extending projection is positioned when the rotor and rotor shaft are rotated relative one another.

20. A rotary degasser comprising:

(a) a motor;

(b) a motor shaft extending from the motor and having an end;

(c) a coupling that couples to the end of the motor shaft;

(d) having a first end that is received in a coupling and a second end for connecting to a rotor, the second end having at least one outward-extending projection that is received and retained in a rotor cavity in order to connect the second end to the rotor; and

(e) having a cavity for receiving an end of a rotor shaft, the rotor cavity having a top surface with an opening through which the end of the rotor shaft passes and is received in the cavity, the opening leading to the cavity and having at least one elongated section, and the cavity including at least one abutment in the cavity.

21. A scrap melter comprising:

(a) a motor;

(b) a motor shaft extending from the motor and having an end;

(c) a coupling that couples to the end of the motor shaft;

(d) having a first end that is received in a coupling and a second end for connecting to a rotor, the second end having at least one outward-extending projection that is received and retained in a rotor cavity in order to connect the second end to the rotor; and

(e) having a cavity for receiving an end of a rotor shaft, the rotor cavity having a top surface with an opening through which the end of the rotor shaft passes and is received in the cavity, the opening leading to the cavity and having at least one elongated section, and the cavity including at least one abutment in the cavity.