Countergravity casting method and apparatus
First Claim
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1. Method of countergravity casting a metallic material, comprising:
- a) melting the metallic material under subambient pressure in a melting vessel, b) providing a mold under subambient pressure on a mold base with a fill tube extending through an opening in said mold base, c) relatively moving said melting vessel and said mold base while providing subambient pressure about said melting vessel and said mold to immerse an opening of said fill tube in the melted metallic material in said melting vessel and to engage said melting vessel and said mold base with means for sealing therebetween and with the engaged mold base and melting vessel together enclosing a sealed gas pressurizable space that is located above the melted metallic material and below said mold base exteriorly of said fill tube and in communication with said melted metallic material such that gas pressure provided in said space is exerted on said melted metallic material, and d) gas pressurizing said space while subambient pressure is provided about said melting vessel and about and in said mold to establish a pressure on the melted metallic material to force it upwardly through said fill tube into said mold.
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Abstract
Countergravity casting of metals and metal alloys provides for melting of the metallic material under subambient pressure, evacuation of a gas permeable or impermeable mold under subambient pressure, and controlled, rapid filling of the mold while it is maintained under the subambient pressure by applying gas pressure locally on the molten metallic material in a sealed space defined by engagement of a mold base and a melting vessel with a seal therebetween. The gas pressure applied locally in the sealed space establishes a differential pressure on the molten metallic material to force it upwardly through the fill tube into the mold.
35 Citations
23 Claims
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1. Method of countergravity casting a metallic material, comprising:
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a) melting the metallic material under subambient pressure in a melting vessel, b) providing a mold under subambient pressure on a mold base with a fill tube extending through an opening in said mold base, c) relatively moving said melting vessel and said mold base while providing subambient pressure about said melting vessel and said mold to immerse an opening of said fill tube in the melted metallic material in said melting vessel and to engage said melting vessel and said mold base with means for sealing therebetween and with the engaged mold base and melting vessel together enclosing a sealed gas pressurizable space that is located above the melted metallic material and below said mold base exteriorly of said fill tube and in communication with said melted metallic material such that gas pressure provided in said space is exerted on said melted metallic material, and d) gas pressurizing said space while subambient pressure is provided about said melting vessel and about and in said mold to establish a pressure on the melted metallic material to force it upwardly through said fill tube into said mold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. Method of countergravity casting a metallic material, comprising:
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a) melting the metallic material under subambient pressure in a melting vessel, b) providing a mold on a mold base in a casting compartment at subambient pressure with a fill tube of said mold extending through an opening in said mold base, c) relatively moving said melting vessel and said mold base with said mold thereon in the casting compartment at subambient pressure to immerse an opening of said fill tube in the melted metallic material in said melting vessel and to engage said melting vessel and said mold base with means for sealing therebetween and with the engaged mold base and melting vessel enclosing a gas pressurizable space in the casting compartment above the melted metallic material and below the mold base, and d) gas pressurizing said space while subambient pressure is provided in said casting compartment about said melting vessel and about and in said mold to establish a pressure on the melted metallic material to force it upwardly through said fill tube into said mold.
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17. Method of countergravity casting a metallic material, comprising:
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a) melting the metallic material under subambient pressure in a melting vessel, b) providing a mold on a mold base in a casting compartment at subambient pressure with a fill tube of said mold extending through an opening in said base, c) relatively moving said melting vessel and said mold base with said mold thereon in the casting compartment at subambient pressure to immerse an opening of said fill tube in the melted metallic material in said melting vessel and to engage an upper surface of said melting vessel and a lower surface of said mold base with means for sealing between said upper surface and said lower surface and with the mold base and the melting vessel enclosing a gas pressurizable space in the casting compartment above the melted metallic material and below the mold base with said lower surface of said mold base directly facing said melted metallic material, and d) gas pressurizing said space while subambient pressure is provided in said casting compartment about said melting vessel and about and in said mold to establish a pressure on the melted metallic material to force it upwardly through said fill tube into said mold. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. Method of countergravity casting a metallic material, comprising:
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a) melting the metallic material under subambient pressure in a melting vessel, b) providing a mold on a mold base in a casting compartment at subambient pressure with a fill tube of said mold extending through an opening in said mold base, c) relatively moving said melting vessel and said mold base with said mold thereon in the casting compartment at subambient pressure to immerse an opening of said fill tube in the melted metallic material in said melting vessel and to engage an upper surface of an annular flange on said melting vessel and a lower surface of said mold base with means for sealing between said upper surface and said lower surface so as to enclose a gas pressurizable space in the casting compartment above the melted metallic material and below said mold base with said lower surface of said mold base directly facing said melted metallic material and with said annular flange enclosing an outer periphery of said space, and d) gas pressurizing said space while subambient pressure is provided in the casting compartment about said melting vessel and about and in said mold to establish a pressure on the melted metallic material to force it upwardly through said fill tube into said mold. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. Method of countergravity casting a metallic material, comprising:
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a) melting the metallic material under subambient pressure in a melting vessel, b) disposing a mold on a mold base in a casting compartment at subambient pressure with a fill tube of said mold extending through an opening in said mold base, c) relatively moving said melting vessel and said mold base with said mold thereon in said casting compartment at subambient pressure to immerse an opening of said fill tube in the melted metallic material in said melting vessel and to engage said melting vessel and said mold base with means for sealing therebetween and with the engaged mold base and melting vessel enclosing a sealed gas pressurizable space in said casting compartment above the melted metallic material and below said base, including clamping said melting vessel and said mold base together in said casting compartment, and e) gas pressurizing said space while subambient pressure is provided in said casting compartment about said melting vessel and about and in said mold to establish a pressure on the melted metallic material to force it upwardly through said fill tube into said mold. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. Method of countergravity casting a metallic material, comprising:
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a) engaging a melting vessel and a mold base having a mold thereon in a casting compartment at subambient pressure to immerse an opening of a fill tube of said mold in melted metallic material in said melting vessel, said mold base and said melting vessel enclosing a gas pressurizable space located in the casting compartment above the melted metallic material and below the mold base, and b) gas pressurizing said space while said subambient pressure is provided in the casting compartment about said melting vessel and about and in said mold to establish a pressure on the melted metallic material to force it upwardly through said fill tube into said mold.
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Specification