Method and apparatus for laminating foils into a superconducting tape for use in a superconducting magnet
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsChristopher G. King, Gerhard S. Kobus, Anthony Mantone, Malvin L. Dennis, Frank D. Shaffer, Richard A. Stephens, Neil G. Fiddes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and method for forming long lengths of laminated superconducting tape by passing three foils over idler pulleys, through a solder bath and between pinch rollers having a portion which extend above the solder bath to enable cleaning of the pinch rollers during the formation of the superconducting tape with means to adjust the pressure applied by the pinch rollers, and to adjust the laminated tape takeup tension independently from the foil process tension.
Claims20
A method of forming long lengths of a stabilized superconducting tape comprising:
- a pair of contiguous rotatable pinch rollers forming a pinch area therebetween;
- spooling a first foil around at least one idler pulley and between said pinch area between said pinch rollers;
- spooling a second foil around at least one second idler pulley to pass contiguously to one side of said first foil at said pinch area;
- spooling a third foil around at least one third idler pulley to pass contiguously to the opposite side of said first foil at said pinch area, sandwiching said first foil between said second and third foil;
- immersing portions of said pinch rollers in a molten solder bath with portions of said pinch rollers extending out of said molten solder bath;
- forming a laminated three-layer tape at said pinch area by pressure exerted by said pinch rollers;
- and
- selectively cleaning said pinch rollers at the portions of said pinch rollers extending out of said molten solder bath.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.