PROCESS AND METHOD FOR HOT CHANGING a VIM INDUCTION FURNACE
AssigneeAjax Tocco Magnethermic Corporation
InventorsJack Shilling, Jeff Deeter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus, method and process directed to enabling a VIM induction furnace to be removed from a vacuum chamber while the induction furnace is still in a heated state without damaging the induction furnace. The induction furnace can include a power port that can be easily switched to an auxiliary cooling source to enable the induction furnace to be removed from the vacuum chamber while the induction furnace is still in a heated state.
Claims12
A method for removing an induction furnace from a vacuum chamber prior to fully cooling said induction furnace comprising the steps of
- a) providing said first induction furnace that is positioned in a vacuum chamber, said first induction furnace at a temperature that requires cooling fluid to flow through said first induction furnace to prevent damage to said first induction furnace;
- b) disconnecting said first induction furnace from a power source that is positioned external to said vacuum chamber;
- c) disconnecting a cooling fluid source to said first induction furnace;
- d) connecting an auxiliary cooling fluid source to said first induction furnace;
- and,
- e) removing said first induction furnace from said vacuum chamber while said auxiliary cooling fluid source is supplying cooling fluid to said first induction furnace, said first induction furnace at said time said first induction furnace is required from said vacuum chamber being at temperature that requires cooling fluid to flow through said first induction furnace to prevent damage to said first induction furnace.
An apparatus for removing an induction furnace from a vacuum chamber prior to fully cooling said induction furnace, said apparatus including a first induction furnace that is removably positioned in a vacuum chamber, said first induction furnace including a power port that is removably connected from said vacuum chamber, said power port including a plurality of connectors that connect the induction furnace to a primary cooling fluid source and a power source, said power source located externally of said vacuum chamber, said plurality of connectors designed to be disconnectable from said power source, said plurality of connectors designed to be disconnectable from said primary cooling source and connectable to an auxiliary cooling source to enable said first induction furnace to be removed from said vacuum chamber while said first induction furnace is at a temperature that requires cooling fluid to flow through said first induction furnace to prevent damage to said first induction furnace.
A power port for an induction furnace, said power port designed to be removably connected to a vacuum chamber, said power port including a plurality of connectors that connect the induction furnace to a primary cooling fluid source and a power source, said power source located externally of said vacuum chamber, said plurality of connectors designed to be disconnectable from said power source, said plurality of connectors designed to be disconnectable from said primary cooling source and connectable to an auxiliary cooling source to enable said first induction furnace to be removed from said vacuum chamber while said first induction furnace is at a temperature that requires cooling fluid to flow through said first induction furnace to prevent damage to said first induction furnace.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.