Process and apparatus for scoring and breaking ingots

Abstract

An apparatus for scoring and breaking ingots (100) into charges (150) comprises a scoring station (12) and a breaking station (14). The scoring station (12) includes a lathe that makes a shallow, circumferential groove (102, 104) in the ingot at a desired charge length. The breaking station (16) includes a hydraulic press (64) that impacts a charge portion (110) of the ingot to break a charge (150) from the ingot at a scoring line (106). The apparatus can further include a control system to automate the process and to weigh an ingot at different points along the length of the ingot, calculating the density of the ingot, and using the information to determine a desired charge length needed for a given weight of material.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.