Modular gun assembly for melt furnaces
AssigneeTitanium Metals Corporation
InventorDavid M. May
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electron beam (EB) gun assembly for an EB furnace is provided. The EB gun assembly includes an EB gun-frame assembly including a skeleton frame and at least one EB gun mounted to the skeleton frame, and the EB gun-frame assembly is configured to rigidly mount onto a first EB chamber lid and melt material in a first EB chamber and be removed and rigidly mount onto a second EB chamber lid and melt material in a second EB chamber. In some forms, the EB gun assembly includes at least one mounting frame and the at least one EB gun is mounted to the at least one mounting frame and the at least one mounting frame is mounted to the skeleton frame.
Claims20
An electron beam (EB) gun assembly for an EB furnace, the EB gun assembly comprising:
- a skeleton frame for mounting;
- and
- at least one EB gun mounted to the skeleton frame,
- wherein the EB gun-frame assembly is configured to rigidly mount onto a first EB chamber lid of a first EB chamber and be removed from the first chamber lid and rigidly mounted onto a second EB chamber lid of a second EB chamber,
- the skeleton frame having an outer ring and a plurality of cross members defining at least one EB gun opening to expose an EB gun aperture when the skeleton frame is mounted onto and outside the first EB chamber lid or the second EB chamber lid.
An electron beam (EB) furnace assembly comprising:
- a first EB furnace comprising a first EB chamber and a first EB chamber lid having a first set of EB gun apertures;
- a second EB furnace comprising a second EB chamber and a second EB chamber lid having a second set of EB gun apertures;
- and
- an EB gun-frame assembly comprising:
- a skeleton frame for mounting and a plurality of EB guns mounted to the skeleton frame, the skeleton frame having an outer ring and a plurality of cross members defining a plurality of EB gun openings to expose the first set of EB gun apertures or the second set of gun apertures when the skeleton frame is mounted onto and outside the first EB chamber lid or the second EB chamber lid,
- wherein the EB gun-frame assembly is configured to rigidly mount onto the first EB chamber lid with the plurality of EB guns mounted onto the first set of EB gun apertures and be removed from the first chamber lid and rigidly mount onto the second EB chamber lid with the plurality of EB guns mounted onto the second set of EB gun apertures such that the EB gun-frame assembly is interchangeable with the first and second EB chamber lids.
A method of melting material with an electron gun (EB) furnace assembly, the method comprising:
- securely mounting an EB gun-frame assembly to a first EB chamber lid, the EB gun-frame assembly comprising a skeleton frame and a plurality of EB guns securely mounted to the skeleton frame, the skeleton frame having an outer ring and a plurality of cross members defining a plurality of EB gun openings,
- wherein the first EB chamber lid comprises a first set of EB gun apertures and the plurality of EB guns are mounted onto the first set of EB gun apertures through the plurality of EB gun openings;
- melting material in a first EB chamber using the plurality of EB guns, wherein the first EB chamber lid and the EB gun-frame assembly are securely mounted to the first EB chamber;
- removing the EB gun-frame assembly from the first EB chamber lid and securely mounting the EB gun-frame assembly to a second EB chamber lid, wherein the second EB chamber lid comprises a second set of EB gun apertures and the plurality of EB guns are mounted onto the second set of EB gun apertures through the plurality of EB gun;
- and
- melting material in a second EB chamber using the plurality of EB guns, wherein the second EB chamber lid and the EB gun-frame assembly are securely mounted to the second EB chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.