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Electric arc apparatus

  • US 4,355,262 A
  • Filed: 08/13/1979
  • Issued: 10/19/1982
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1977
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for treating a flow of material by an electric arc comprising:

  • a cathode and an anode arranged for striking an arc across a gap between the cathode and the anode and arranged to provide a pathway for flow of material through the gap between the cathode and the anode,means for producing movement of the arc around the anode-cathode gap, andadjustment means for selectively increasing and decreasing the distance across the anode-cathode gap by rearward and forward axial movement of the cathode for fine control of the internal energy imparted to material passing through the anode-cathode gap,the cathode being a substantially non-consumable cathode having an edge at an end thereof opposite the anode for providing a continuous closed path for the cathode root to travel around in operation,the anode having an inwardly tapering frusto-conical surface arranged opposite the said edge on the cathode in a position such as to provide on the frusto-conical surface a continuous closed path for the anode spot to travel around in operation,the distance across the anode-cathode gap being sufficiently small for the arc channel to be substantially straight between the cathode root and anode spot in normal operation during the said movement of the arc around the gap, and the angles of inclination of the surfaces forming the said edge on the cathode being such relative to each other and relative to the frusto-conical surface of the anode as to prevent the cathode root wandering from the edge along which it is intended to travel during the said movement of the arc around the anode-cathode gap,the arrangement being such that the anode spot and cathode root travel around their respective paths in the same sense and in substantially the same time with the arc free from uncontrolled changes in arc length during travel of the anode spot and cathode root around the said respective paths.

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