US 4,385,880 AGranted

Shock wave processing apparatus

OwnerJerome H. Lemelsoninventor

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Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for making diamonds. In one form, a plurality of shock waves are generated and are directed or focused against carbon particles retained in a cavity of a die such that the heat and pressure of the shock waves will heat and compress the particles of carbon to form one or more diamonds thereof. In another form, diamonds or particles of diamond dust are disposed in a cavity containing carbon particles and serve as substrates or nuclei on which carbon is converted to diamond forming larger diamonds thereof. Each of the diamonds disposed in the mold or die cavity is completely surrounded by carbon. A magnetic jack hammer of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,632,242 having a focusing horn attached thereto is employed to generate and transmit the trains of intermittent shock waves to the diamonds and carbon disposed in the mold. In another form, intense heat and pressure are generated by one or more laser beams which are directed at carbon particles per se or against diamond particles which are packed with carbon particles in a mold so as to form diamonds and/or increase the sizes of the diamonds disposed in the mold cavity with the carbon particles.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An apparatus for applying shock waves to matter comprising:

first means for generating intense shock waves,
second means in the form of a solid member operable for receiving and transmitting shock waves generated by said first means, said second means being operable to transmit shock waves generated by said first means in a given direction therethrough,
third means for retaining a quantity of matter to be processed with energy transmitted thereto by means of said shock waves,
fourth means for relatively moving said second means to bring a portion of said solid member to which said shock waves are transmitted from said first means into and out of engagement with matter supported by said third means which is to be processed with shock waves,
fifth means for controlling the operation of said fourth means to cause said second means to compressively engage matter retained by said third means, means for controlling the operation of said first means in synchronization with the controlled relative movement of said second and third means so as to generate a shock wave upon the compressive engagement of said second means with matter retained by said third means, and
sixth means for removing matter processed by said second means and transfering said processed matter from the vicinity of said second means,
said sixth means and said second means for controlling the operation of said first means being controlled in their operation by said fifth means.

4 more elements

An apparatus for making artificial diamonds comprising a support means mounted for movement in a given direction, said support means having plural cavities arranged about a surface thereof, a plurality of die-blocks, means for transferring successive die blocks to said support means and to successively align said die blocks with said cavities and means for inserting said die blocks into said cavities, filling means for a particulate material, means for intermittently moving said support means to successively align said die blocks with said filling means and means for operating said filling means to dispose particulate material therefrom into a die block when said die block is aligned with said filling means, shock wave generating means for generating a shock wave adequate to convert the particulate material disposed in a die block into diamonds, means spaced from said filling means for moving said shock wave generating means into and out of engagement with die blocks supported by said support means and means for ejecting said die blocks successively from said support means.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/074,388Filed 10 Sep 1979 · continuation in part
Priority: 27 Jun 1957
Granted: 31 May 1983
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

B01J 19/121
Employing electromagnetic waves: coherent waves, e.g. laser beams
B01J 3/08
Processes using ultra-high pressure, e.g. for the formation of diamonds; Apparatus therefor, e.g. moulds or dies: application of shock waves for…
B01J 19/081
Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor: employing particle radiation or…
B01J 19/088
Employing electric or magnetic energy: giving rise to electric discharges

Family

Serial668,561Parent of this continuation · filed 27 Jun 1957
Serial93,779Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 30 Nov 1970
Serial958,514Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 7 Nov 1978
US 4,207,154 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 4,385,880 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.