# US 2018/0320971 A1 · Melting material supply apparatus

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- Number: US 2018/0320971 A1
- Document ID: US20180320971A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/763,687
- Filed: 2016-09-02
- Published: 2018-11-08
- Earliest claimed: 2015-09-28
- Assignees: Aisin Takaoka Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Aisin Takaoka Co., Ltd
- Inventors: Kazufumi NIWA; Hiroaki KATO; Yusuke WAKITA; Yuki KIYANAGI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180320971A1

## CPC

- F27B 14/12: Covers therefor
- F27D 1/18: Door frames; Doors, lids or removable covers
- F27D 1/1808: {Removable covers}
- F27D 3/06: Charging or discharging machines on travelling carriages
- F27B: FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS
- F27D: DETAILS OR ACCESSORIES OF FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS, IN SO FAR AS THEY ARE OF KINDS OCCURRING IN MORE THAN ONE KIND OF FURNACE

## Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a melting material supply apparatus which is capable of contributing to improvements in the working environment and the melting efficiency of a metal melting furnace, and which is also capable of making melting work more efficient. This melting material supply apparatus for supplying a melting material to a crucible is provided with: a melting material supply unit for supplying the melting material to the crucible; and a furnace lid for closing an opening provided in the upper part of the crucible. The furnace lid is supported in a horizontal state by a furnace lid-supporter, and is capable of being moved between a position in which the opening is closed, and a standby position located above a hood. When the furnace lid is in the standby position, the opening is open, and the melting material can be supplied into the crucible therefrom.

## Claims

### Claim 1

(canceled)

### Claim 2

(canceled)

### Claim 3

(canceled)

### Claim 4

(canceled)

### Claim 5

(canceled)

### Claim 6

A melting material supply apparatus combined with a metal melting furnace for melting a melting material supplied to a crucible and configured to supply the melting material to the crucible, wherein
a melting material supply unit configured to supply a melting material to the crucible;
a means configured to move the melting material supply unit between a position for supplying the melting material to the crucible and a position retracted therefrom and apart from the crucible which has been supplied with the melting material at the position for supplying;
a furnace lid provided integrally with the melting material supply unit and configured to cover an opening provided at a top of the crucible;
a furnace lid-supporting means configured to support the furnace lid in a horizontal state; and
a furnace lid-moving means configured to move the furnace lid supported by the furnace lid-supporting means between a first position at which the furnace lid is placed at the opening to cover the opening and a second position at which the opening is opened to allow a supply of the melting material.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The melting material supply apparatus according to claim 6, wherein
the melting material supply unit has a hood disposed above the opening at the time of supplying the melting material into the crucible and having a material outlet port configured to lead out the melting material downward, and
the furnace lid at the first position is placed below the hood.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The melting material supply apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the furnace lid moving means moves the furnace lid between the first position and the second position below the melting material supply unit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The melting material supply apparatus according to claim 6, wherein
the melting material supply unit has a hood disposed above the opening at the time of supplying the melting material into the crucible and having a material outlet port configured to lead out the melting material downward, and
the furnace lid at the first position is placed in front of the hood, and the furnace lid at the second position is placed above the hood, and
the furnace lid moving means moves the furnace lid so as to circumvent the hood when moving the furnace lid between the first position and the second position.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The melting material supply apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the furnace lid-supporting means has an inclination following mechanism configured to cause the furnace lid to incline so as to follow an inclination of a contact portion with respect to the opening.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The melting material supply apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the furnace lid-supporting means has an inclination following mechanism configured to cause the furnace lid to incline so as to follow an inclination of a contact portion with respect to the opening.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The melting material supply apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the furnace lid-supporting means has an inclination following mechanism configured to cause the furnace lid to incline so as to follow an inclination of a contact portion with respect to the opening.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The melting material supply apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the furnace lid-supporting means has an inclination following mechanism configured to cause the furnace lid to incline so as to follow an inclination of a contact portion with respect to the opening.