Ball formation method
AssigneeThe Whitaker Corporation
InventorsDimitry Grabbe, Iosif Korsunksy
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Abstract
An apparatus and method of forming balls includes a metering device 2, a melting device 14 and a cooling device 20. The metering device 14 stamps a desired volume of solid material in the form of a slug 12 which passes through the melting device 14 where it is caused to levitate and transform state from a solid to a molten liquid. The molten liquid material 13 is released from the melting device 14 and descends through the cooling device 20 where it transforms state once again from a molten material to a solid material while maintaining a ball shape. A forming gas is passed over the molten material 13 in a direction opposite to the falling molten material 13. The balls 15 are finally cooled in a cooling bath 32.
Claims20
A method of forming balls comprising the steps of:
- providing a solid material supply which is continuously feedable into a metering device;
- metering a desired volume of solid material from the supply;
- melting the solid material to form a ball of molten material;
- and
- cooling and solidifying the ball as it passes through a cooling tower through which a gas is circulated.
A method of forming balls comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a desired volume of a solid material;
- (b) levitating the material;
- (c) melting the material by induction heating;
- and
- (d) cooling the material by moving a gas past the material.
A method of forming balls comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a desired volume of a solid material;
- (b) levitating and melting the material in a levitation melting coil;
- (c) energizing the levitation melting coil with a high frequency signal to levitate and melt the material whereby the material takes on a spherical shape;
- (d) allowing the melted material to fall through a cooling chamber;
- and
- (e) circulating a gas through the cooling chamber in a direction opposite a direction of travel of the material as it falls through the cooling chamber to cool the spherical shaped material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.