Laser/powdered metal cladding nozzle

Laser powered metal cladding apparatus including a front unit and a rear unit extending into said front unit through its open rear;

• said rear unit having a beam passage extending from front to rear thereof, and said front unit having a front opening aligned with said beam passage whereby a laser beam projected forward through said beam passage is directed to exit said apparatus through said front opening and impinge upon a metal workpiece to heat and thereby liquify a localized surface portion thereof and to form a shallow puddle of liquified metal;
• said apparatus also including an annular passage connectible to a supply of metallic cladding powder, said annular passage being operatively positioned and shaped to direct metallic powder moving forward therethrough to exit through said front opening and enter said shallow puddle;
• said front unit including a nozzle at its forward end, said nozzle including a front end and a conical sidewall that tapers outward and rearward from said front end, and said front opening being at said front end;
• a plurality of narrow generally axially extending gas passages in said conical sidewall, each of said gas passages having an exit end at said front end, said exit ends arranged in an array surrounding said front opening;
• said gas passages extending rearward from said front end for operative connection to a source of inert gas that will flow forward through said gas passages in sufficient quantity to effectively cool said nozzle;
• said front unit including a fluid jacket connectible to a supply which provides fluid that is circulated through said fluid jacket to cool said apparatus;
• said front unit also including a body disposed behind said nozzle and including an outer cup and an inner cup extending into said outer cup;
• said inner cup having an annular outer wall and said outer cup having an annular inner wall confronting said outer wall in spaced relationship with respect thereto whereby said inner and outer walls cooperate to define said water jacket;
• each of said gas passages having a rear entrance end that communicates with an annular manifold for said inert gas;
• and
• said rear unit including another annular manifold for inert gas, disposed rearward of said annular manifold, and a plurality of tubes disposed between said inner and outer walls and interconnecting said manifolds.

Laser powered metal cladding apparatus including a front unit and a rear unit extending into said front unit through its open rear;

• said rear unit having a beam passage extending from front to rear thereof, and said front unit having a front opening aligned with said beam passage whereby a laser beam projected forward through said beam passage is directed to exit said apparatus through said front opening and impinge upon a metal workpiece to heat and thereby liquify a localized surface portion thereof and to form a shallow puddle of liquified metal;
• said apparatus also including an annular passage connectible to a supply of metallic cladding powder, said annular passage being operatively positioned and shaped to direct metallic powder moving forward therethrough to exit through said front opening and enter said shallow puddle;
• said front unit including a nozzle at its forward end, said nozzle including a front end and a conical sidewall that tapers outward and rearward from said front end, and said front opening being at said front end;
• a plurality of narrow generally axially extending gas passages in said conical sidewall, each of said gas passages having an exit end at said front end, said exit ends arranged in an array surrounding said front opening;
• said gas passages extending rearward from said front end for operative connection to a source of inert gas that will flow forward through said gas passages in sufficient quantity to effectively cool said nozzle;
• said front unit including a fluid jacket connectible to a supply which provides fluid that is circulated through said fluid jacket to cool said apparatus;
• and
• at least one gas conduit that extends through said fluid jacket and connects said gas passages to said source of inert gas.