Electric induction melting assembly
AssigneeConsarc Corporation
InventorsGerrard HOLMS, Mark WILLMERTON, John D. NELSON
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dry-break electrical disconnect is provided between an induction melting furnace and a component of the electric induction melting assembly in which the furnace is removably installed for melting in a vacuum or otherwise controlled environmental chamber. Electric power connections are made to the induction melting furnace in a sealed interior volume of the assembly component that can be pressurized and of a different environment than that in the controlled environmental chamber. The assembly component may be a tilting cradle installed in the controlled environment chamber.
Claims14
An electric induction melting assembly for use in a controlled environment chamber, the electric induction melting assembly comprising:
- an induction melting furnace comprising:
- at least one furnace induction coil power lead from one or more induction coils surrounding a crucible of the induction melting furnace;
- and
- at least one furnace spade assembly, each of the at least one spade assembly comprising:
- a pressure plate attached to the induction melting furnace, the pressure plate having a pressure plate opening to a controlled environment in the controlled environment chamber;
- a furnace spade power port sealing the pressure plate opening;
- and
- at least one positive furnace electrical spade and at least one negative furnace electrical spade protruding through the furnace spade power port, the at least one furnace induction coil power lead connected to the at least one positive furnace electrical spade and the at least one negative furnace electrical spade on the controlled environment side of the pressure plate;
- and
- a cradle for seating of the induction melting furnace within the controlled environment chamber, the cradle comprising:
- at least one external electric power port;
- at least one cradle spade assembly, the at least one cradle spade assembly disposed within an interior cradle volume within the cradle, the interior cradle volume having a furnace electrical spades opening, the at least one cradle spade assembly having at least one positive cradle electrical spade and at least one negative cradle electrical spade, the at least one positive and negative electrical spades connected to the at least one external electric power port within the interior cradle volume;
- at least one spade clamping assembly, the at least one spade clamping assembly disposed within the interior cradle volume and having an opened position and a closed position, the at least one spade clamping assembly comprising at least one positive cradle clamping electrical spade and at least one negative cradle clamping electrical spade, and an actuator for moving the at least one positive cradle clamping electrical spade and the at least one negative cradle clamping electrical spade between the opened and closed positions, the at least one positive cradle clamping electrical spade and the at least one negative cradle clamping electrical spade disposed respectively on opposing sides of the at least one positive cradle electrical spade and at least one negative cradle electrical spade so that when the induction melting furnace is seated on the cradle the pressure plate is sealed over the furnace electrical spades opening and the at least one positive and negative furnace electrical spades protrude into the interior cradle volume a sealed cradle environment is formed within the interior cradle volume, the sealed cradle environment isolated from the controlled environment within the controlled environment chamber, whereby when the at least one spade clamping assembly is in the closed position the at least one positive cradle clamping electrical spade and the at least one negative cradle clamping electrical spade respectively complete an electrical circuit between (1) each of the at least one positive furnace electrical spades and each of the at least one positive cradle electrical spade and (2) each of the at least one negative furnace electrical spades and each of the at least one negative cradle electrical spade in the sealed cradle environment.
A method of operation of an induction melting furnace removably installed in a cradle disposed in a controlled environment within a controlled environment chamber, the induction melting furnace having one or more furnace coil power leads from one or more furnace induction coils of the induction melting furnace to at least one positive furnace electrical spade and at least one negative furnace electrical spade disposed in a furnace spade power port sealably attached to a pressure plate on the induction melting furnace with the at least one positive furnace electrical spade and at least one negative furnace electrical spade penetrating through the pressure plate, the method comprising:
- seating the induction melting furnace on the cradle prior to establishing the controlled environment within the controlled environment chamber so that the pressure plate forms a seal over a furnace electrical spades opening in an interior cradle volume of the cradle with the at least one positive furnace electrical spade and the at least one negative furnace electrical spade penetrating into a sealed interior cradle environment in the interior cradle volume, the interior cradle volume containing a cradle spade assembly and a spade clamping assembly;
- forming the controlled environment within the controlled environment chamber subsequent to seating the induction melting furnace on the cradle to isolate the sealed interior cradle environment from the controlled environment;
- and
- moving at least one positive cradle clamping electrical spade and at least one negative cradle clamping electrical spade from an opened to a closed position within the sealed interior cradle environment to complete an electrical circuit between (1) each of the at least one positive furnace electrical spades protruding through the pressure plate into the sealed interior cradle environment and each of at least one positive cradle electrical spades associated with the cradle spade assembly, each of the at least one positive cradle electrical spades connected to a positive terminal of an external power source located external to the controlled environment and supplied to the sealed interior cradle environment, and (2) each of the at least one negative furnace electrical spades protruding through the pressure plate into the sealed interior cradle environment and each of at least one negative cradle electrical spades associated with the cradle spade assembly, each of the at least one negative cradle electrical spades connected to a negative terminal of the external power source, whereby electric power from the positive and negative terminals of the external power source are provided to the one or more furnace induction coils.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.