Powder Feeder System And Method For Recycling Metal Powder
AssigneeMolyWorks Materials Corporation
InventorsPaul Meese, Matthew Charles, Sonia Zacher, Daniel Mendez
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A powder feeder system for a foundry system having a mixing hearth includes a housing assembly, and a feeder assembly in the housing assembly having a moveable barrel feeder for feeding a pre-weighed charge of metal powder into the mixing hearth of the foundry system during operation thereof. A method for recycling metal powder includes the steps of melting a content of the mixing hearth completely; and then feeding the metal powder into the mixing hearth while the contents of the mixing hearth are still molten using the powder feeder system.
Claims20
A powder feeder system for a foundry system having a mixing hearth comprising:
- a housing assembly comprising a plurality of tubular members configured to provide a sealed flow path for a metal powder to the mixing hearth, the tubular members including a discharge conduit in proximity to the mixing hearth;
- and
- a feeder assembly in the housing assembly comprising a moveable barrel feeder in flow communication with the discharge conduit configured to feed a metal powder into the mixing hearth of the foundry system during operation thereof.
A powder feeder system for a foundry system having a mixing hearth comprising:
- a housing assembly comprising a plurality of tubular members configured to provide a sealed flow path for a metal powder to the mixing hearth, the tubular members including a discharge conduit in proximity to the mixing hearth;
- and
- a feeder assembly in the housing assembly configured to feed a metal powder into the mixing hearth of the foundry system during operation thereof, the feeder assembly comprising a moveable barrel feeder in flow communication with the discharge conduit, and a drive assembly configured to position the barrel feeder in a loading position in which a pre-weighed charge of the metal powder is loaded into the barrel feeder, or a feeding position in which the metal powder is inserted into the mixing hearth, the barrel feeder comprising a hollow cylindrical member having sidewalls, sealed end plates, an internal chamber for the metal powder, and a feeder port opening extending through the sidewalls into the internal chamber thereof.
A method for recycling a metal powder comprising:
- providing a foundry system comprising a mixing hearth contained in a sealed reaction chamber;
- providing a powder feeder system for the foundry system comprising a housing assembly comprising a plurality of tubular members configured to provide a sealed flow path for the metal powder to the mixing hearth, and a feeder assembly having a moveable barrel feeder in the housing assembly for feeding a pre-weighed charge of the metal powder into the mixing hearth of the foundry system during operation thereof;
- melting a content of the mixing hearth to form a pool of molten metal;
- and
- feeding the metal powder into the mixing hearth while the contents of the mixing hearth are still molten using the powder feeder system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.