Mould for isostatic pressing
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsBernard P. Bewlay, Dennis J. Dalpe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and a method for forming compacts having reduced elephant's feet effect is disclosed. The apparatus includes a press for dry bag isostatic pressing, the press body having a cavity with at least one open end formed therein, an elastic mould, operatively positioned inside the cavity for compacting metal powder, means, operatively connected to the mould for expanding the mould and compacting the metal powder, and at least one press member having a base section substantially normal to the cavity and an insert section extending from base section into the cavity, the insert section being formed in the shape of any one of a plurality of geometric shapes.
Claims27
A cold isostatic press comprising:
- a press body having a cavity with at least one open end formed therein;
- an elastic mould, operatively positioned in the cavity, for compacting metal powder;
- means, operatively connected to the mould, for expanding the mould and compacting the metal powder;
- and
- at least one punch having a base section normal to the cavity and having an extension, the extension having any one of a plurality of geometric shapes and having a surface contacting the metal powder, with the surface having first and second portions substantially normal to the cavity, and with the first portion extending further into the cavity than the second portion for reducing flared ends of a compact formed in the press.
A cold isostatic press having a mould for forming a metal compact in a cavity thereof, the press having at least one open end, the press comprising:
- means for depositing a metal powder in the cavity;
- at least one punch having a base section substantially normal to the cavity and having an extension, the extension having any one of a plurality of geometric shapes and having a surface contacting the metal powder, with the surface having first and second portions substantially normal to the cavity than the second portion extending further into the cavity than the second portion for sealing at least one end of the cavity;
- means, operatively connected to the mould, for applying pressure to the outer surface of the mould;
- and
- means, operatively connected to the mould, for decompressing the mould by reducing the pressure such that the resulting compact has a taper applied to at least one end thereof thereby eliminating elephant's foot on the tapered end.
A press for forming a metal compact in a cold isostatic press having a cavity and two open ends comprising:
- means for depositing a metal powder in the cavity;
- a punch having a base section substantially normal to the cavity and having an extension, such extension having any one of a plurality of geometric shapes formed thereon and having a surface contacting the metal powder, with the surface having first and second portions substantially normal to the cavity, and with the first portion extending further into the cavity than the second portion, for sealing each end of the cavity;
- means, operatively connected to a mould, for applying pressure to the outer surface of the mould;
- and
- means, operatively connected to the mould, for decompressing the mould by reducing the pressure such that the resulting compact has a taper applied to each end thereof thereby eliminating elephant's foot on each end.
A system for forming a metal compact in a cold isostatic press having a cavity and at least one open end comprising:
- means for depositing a metal powder in the cavity of the cold isostatic press;
- means for sealing at least one end of the cavity with a punch having a base section substantially normal to the cavity and having an insert section, the insert section having any one of a plurality of geometric shapes, extending from the base section into the cavity, and having a surface contacting the metal powder, with the surface having first and second portions substantially normal to the cavity, and with the first portion extending further into the cavity than the second portion;
- means for applying pressure to the outer surface of a mould;
- and
- means for decompressing the mould by reducing the pressure such that the resulting compact has a taper applied to at least one end thereof thereby eliminating elephant's foot on the tapered end.
A system for forming a metal compact in a cold isostatic press having a cavity and two open ends comprising:
- means for depositing a metal powder in the cavity of the cold isostatic press;
- means for sealing each end of the cavity with a punch having a base section substantially normal to the cavity and having an insert section, each insert section having any one of a plurality of geometric shapes, extending from the base section into the cavity, and having a surface contacting the metal powder, with the surface having first and second portions substantially normal to the cavity, and with the first portion extending further into the cavity than the second portion;
- means for applying pressure to the outer surface of a mould;
- and
- means for decompressing the mould by reducing the pressure such that the resulting compact has a taper applied to each end thereof thereby eliminating elephant's foot on each end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.