Continuous method of and apparatus for making bars from powdered metal

A continuous method of forming a bar from a powdered metal comprising,

• successively introducing outwardly of one end a quantity of powdered metal into an open ended and horizontally disposed die cavity of fixed diameter, applying a horizontally disposed reciprocating compacting means movable between a retraction position outside of said die and a compaction position within said die to compact each quantity of powdered metal into bonded segments of a bar of which at least a length of the bar frictionally engages the walls of the die cavity and serves as a stop means against which subsequent quantities of powdered metal are compacted and bonded to form further segments of the bar,
• measuring the frictional resisting force of the length of the bar in the cavity relative to a predetermined resisting force at which a subsequent quantity of powdered metal is compacted into a segment of predetermined physical characteristics,
• controlling the travel of the compacting means by varying the retraction position of said compacting means while maintaining the compaction position thereof constant so that the quantity of powdered metal introduced in the die cavity to achieve a compaction compensates for deviations of the measured force from the predetermined resisting force and the successive quantity of powdered metal is bonded to the bar as a segment having the desired physical characteristics,
• and forcing the bar through the die so that at least a length of said bar serves as the stop means.