Method and apparatus for casting
First Claim
1. A method for casting comprising the steps of:
- placing a porous preform in a nonporous mold chamber of a pressure vessel;
placing a material in a crucible of the pressure vessel;
evacuating the pressure vessel through a snorkel fluidically connected to the mold chamber and extending therefrom out of the pressure vessel;
melting the material in the crucible;
placing the crucible in fluidic communication with the mold chamber such that the melted material fluidically seals the inside of the mold chamber and the snorkel from the interior of the pressure vessel to fluidically isolate the mold chamber from the interior of the pressure vessel so that a pressure differential exists therebetween; and
pressurizing the vessel while the mold chamber is continuously evacuated such that the melted material is drawn into the mold chamber and into the snorkel where solidifying means in thermal communication with the snorkel cools the melted material within the snorkel thereby forming a solidification plug and the material is forced into the porous preform and the material in the mold chamber is directionally solidified from the solidification plug.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A porous preform is placed in a nonporous mold chamber of a pressure vessel. A material is placed in a crucible of the pressure vessel. The pressure vessel is evacuated through a snorkel fluidically connected to the mold chamber and extending therefrom out of the pressure vessel. The material in the crucible is melted. The crucible is placed in fluidic communication with the mold chamber such that the melted material fluidically seals the inside of the mold chamber and the snorkel from the interior of the pressure vessel to fluidically isolate the mold chamber from the interior of the pressure vessel so that a pressure differential exists therebetween. Then, the vessel is pressurized while the mold chamber is continuously evacuated such that the melted material is drawn into the mold chamber and into the snorkel where a cooling element in thermal communication with the snorkel cools the melted material within the snorkel thereby forming a solidification plug and the material is forced into the porous preform and the material in the mold chamber is directionally solidified from the solidification plug.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. A method for casting comprising the steps of:
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placing a porous preform in a nonporous mold chamber of a pressure vessel; placing a material in a crucible of the pressure vessel; evacuating the pressure vessel through a snorkel fluidically connected to the mold chamber and extending therefrom out of the pressure vessel; melting the material in the crucible; placing the crucible in fluidic communication with the mold chamber such that the melted material fluidically seals the inside of the mold chamber and the snorkel from the interior of the pressure vessel to fluidically isolate the mold chamber from the interior of the pressure vessel so that a pressure differential exists therebetween; and pressurizing the vessel while the mold chamber is continuously evacuated such that the melted material is drawn into the mold chamber and into the snorkel where solidifying means in thermal communication with the snorkel cools the melted material within the snorkel thereby forming a solidification plug and the material is forced into the porous preform and the material in the mold chamber is directionally solidified from the solidification plug. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification